Minimum Wage: Labour declares strike in 14 states, FCT

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has ordered its members to begin strike in 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for failure to implement the minimum wage.

The labour Union had, on November 10, given states up to December 1 to implement the minimum wage or face industrial action.

The NLC had expressed deep frustration with the persistent delay and outright refusal by some state governments to implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act.

Labour had declared that the delays betrayed the confidence they had in the states, noting that “the act of betrayal by certain governors and government officials across the country flies in the face of both legality and morality, as workers continue to be denied their rightful wages amidst rising economic hardship.”

“It is a blatant disregard for the law and the lives of millions of Nigerian workers, who are being exploited by the very leaders sworn to protect them.”
The NEC therefore resolves to set up a National Minimum Wage Implementation Committee that will among others commence a nationwide assessment, mobilization and sensitization campaign, educating workers and citizens on the need to resist this assault on their dignity and rights.

“The NLC shall initiate a series of industrial actions in all non-compliant states and shall not relent until the minimum wage is fully implemented across Nigeria.

“To this end, all state Councils where the National Minimum Wage has not been fully implemented by the last day of November, 2024 have been directed to proceed on strike beginning from the 1st day of December, 2024. Nigerian workers demand justice, and justice they shall have”

The NLC, in a statement signed by Emmanuel Ugboaja, general secretary, on Friday, the union said states such as Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebony’s, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Nasarawa and Kaduna are yet to begin the implementation of the minimum wage.

Others are: Katsina, Oyo, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory FCT.

In a letter sent to the NLC chairpersons of the affected states on the 29th of November, the union directed the state chapters to immediately commence implementation of the directives to embark on strike, with effect from Monday, 2nd December, 2024.

“You are hereby directed to as a matter of utmost seriousness, commence the implementation of the said NEC and CWC directives immediately, effective Monday, 2nd December, 2024.”

The NLC leadership warned that “failure to adhere to this directives will attract dire consequences, as full weight of the Congress will be brought to bear on your leadership.”